MY LIFE WITH TREETOPS
Volunteers are very valuable to us here at Treetops Hospice. We regularly hold celebration events where we honour our volunteers with long service awards.
Sue Basker, pictured below, tells us in her own words how she got involved in volunteering with Treetops.
“In 1981 my father died six months after surgery for cancer of the larynx followed by a massive stroke. We had moved my parents in with us as Mum couldn’t cope with Dad on her own.
Throughout Dad’s illness we had no support because all respite care at the time was targeted either at cancer or at stroke and no-one would take him because he had both conditions. A few years after he died, I heard that a group was being set up in Draycott to open a day care hospice without such restrictions so I joined the small committee.
That was in 1986 and I’m still there now and of course that hospice is now called Treetops. I’ve done just about every job you could think of. I was briefly employed to set up the administrative side and oversee improvements to the original building. I’ve also helped with Day Care and driving, raised funds in many ways, and I now sit on reception for half a day a fortnight.
Volunteering for Treetops is the most rewarding job and since I was widowed by cancer eight years ago I’ve also benefitted from their services, so I can say from both sides that Treetops is a lifesaver.”
If Sue’s story has inspired you to volunteer at Treetops, please click here to visit the volunteer vacancies.
